Rutgers coach Greg Schiano has adopted the slogan "Keep Choppin' " for his Scarlet Knights football team - the theory being that if you continue to work hard eventually the obstacles to your
success will fall.

But the Knights felt the ax from the bowl system, falling from a BCS game to the Texas Bowl with their triple overtime loss at West Virginia in their final regular-season game.

To borrow another clichι, it was the unkindest cut of all. One minute the Cinderfellas from Jersey are probable for a marquee matchup in the FedEx Orange Bowl on a major TV network. The next minute, they're playing three nights after Christmas on a network that's unavailable to about 60 percent of the country.

Schiano must find a way to get his team up for a bowl game on a lesser stage against an unranked opponent in which it is heavily favored. It's a tough spot. Win and people will say
you were supposed to win. Lose and they'll say you never deserved the top-10 ranking you worked so hard to get this season.

Kansas State could prove dangerous. The Wildcats, under first-year coach Ron Prince, dramatically improved in the second half of the season. A pair of freshmen, quarterback Josh Freeman and running back Leon Patton, helped K-State get rolling offensively. The Wildcats scored 32.5 points per game over their last four games, including 45 in a shocking upset of
Texas.

Rutgers running game vs. Kansas State run defense: The Scarlet Knights are one of the best rushing teams in the nation behind super sophomore Ray Rice, fullback Brian Leonard and All-Big East tackle Jeremy Zuttah. Rice will see the ball 25-30 times and it will be up to the Wildcats to stop him. There's not much fancy about the Rutgers attack, but
there doesn't have to be. Meanwhile, K-State had its problems against the run this season. The Wildcats ranked 70th nationally against the run. Edge: Rutgers.

Rutgers passing game vs. Kansas State pass defense: The Scarlet Knights rarely rely on their passing game, which is probably a good thing. QB Mike Teel usually is either very
good or very bad. The thing is, he usually gets time to throw behind a very good pass-blocking unit (only eight sacks allowed, tied for the nation's lead). Kansas State has been better against
the pass this season than the run, and it gets after the passer well (40 sacks (tops in the Big 12 and fifth nationally). Edge: Kansas State.

Kansas State running game vs. Rutgers run defense: The Wildcats were a different team offensively over the second half of the season once freshmen Josh Freeman and Leon Patton got the bulk of the playing time. Patton had three 100-yard efforts in the final seven games. Rutgers, though, ranked 25th nationally in stopping the run and has two of the best defensive
tackles in the Big East in Eric Foster and Ramel Meekins. Edge: Rutgers.

Kansas State passing game vs. Rutgers pass defense: Freeman came on to finish with four games in which he topped 240 passing yards. He's a pocket passer with a great arm, and he has
the mobility to create plays. But he doesn't always make the best decisions. Rutgers ranked atop the Big East in pass defense, ninth nationally. They also ranked eighth in the nation in sacks. And
both of the Scarlet Knights' safeties were second-team all conference. Edge: Rutgers.

Rutgers coaches vs. Kansas State coaches: Schiano won several national coach of the year awards for posting 10 wins in the regular season. The Scarlet Knights' only losses came at
Cincinnati when Mike Teel threw four interceptions and at West Virginia in triple overtime. Prince did a terrific job in his first season, including a 45-42 victory over Texas in which Freeman
was stellar (19 of 31, 269 yards, three TDs). Prince deserves a lot of credit for throwing in some talented freshman and helping them develop.Edge: Rutgers

Rutgers will win if: It controls the game with its ground attack, and its defense harasses Freeman into too many mistakes.

Kansas State will win if: It can force Rutgers to throw more than it wants to, and Freeman doesn't force anything.

Injury situation: Rutgers  None. Kansas State  None.

Worth noting: Rutgers has played only once in the state of Texas. The Scarlet Knights lost to the Longhorns 48-14 on Sept. 6, 1997. Rutgers is 0-3 all time against teams currently in the
Big 12. Kansas State and Rutgers have never met. The teams have one common opponent this season: Louisville. The host Scarlet Knights beat the Cardinals 28-25 on Nov. 9; the host
Wildcats lost to them 24-6 on Sept. 23. When Rutgers beat Louisville the Cardinals were ranked No. 3; it was the Scarlet Knights' first victory over a top-five team. Rutgers' roster includes 21
players from the state of Florida. Kansas State has been to a bowl game 12 of the past 14 seasons. Rutgers is making just the third bowl appearance in school history and enters with a postseason record of 0-2.
A win would give Rutgers just the second 11-win season in 137 years of football. It was 11-0 in 1976. Kansas State leads the nation in kickoff returns with a 27.9-yard average.